Summertime and the livin' isn't so easy
by Makolin808
Summary: Bolin's heart aches for Mako, but Mako is already in a committed relationship to Korra. A trip to the beach may turn into Bolin's last chance to confess his feelings before he looses Mako... forever.
1. Chapter 1

Mako stood facing the sun as it glistened over the ocean, embracing it's warmth across his face. The sky was completely cloudless; the wind completely still. For a moment, the entire world was at a complete stand still: silent, motionless. But this moment passed quickly and a small breeze ruffled Mako's hair. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Korra approaching him and a smile crossed his lips.

It was a beautiful summer morning. The first real summer Korra would ever experience.

"It's going to be another scorcher," Mako said to Korra, wrapping his arm around her.

"Ugh. I'm not used to all this heat," Korra responded, smiling up at Mako as she returned his embrace.

Mako smiled back at her, taking a moment to simply absorb her beauty in the early morning light. "Then why don't we take today to do some cooling off?" He asked, holding her chin in his hand.

"With you? There's no way to stay cool around you," she laughed, pulling his hand away from her chin.

"Cuz my firebending's just so hot!" He laughed, grabbing her by the waist.

"Something like that," Korra responded as she slid her arms around Mako's neck, laying a soft kiss on his lips.

In the distance, Bolin could only watch hopelessly as this display of affection unfolded.


	2. Chapter 2

A sharp pain blossomed in Bolin's chest like a rose; its shrap thorns digging into the very fiber of his being. In the beginning of Mako and Korra's relationship, there had been no end to Bolin's agony. At first, he was simply outraged that Mako had stolen the girl of his dreams away from him. That he could betray his own brother in such a heinous way caused Bolin tremendous anger. He acted polite to their faces, but he secretly hoped that they would break-up, and he could swoop to Korra's rescue after being left broken hearted by Mako. It was a fantasy he often entertained in his head, but as time passed, it became apparent that it was to remain only a fantasy.

There was nothing that would break them apart. The two were insufferably inseparable. Always kissing and hugging and playing their silly games of "I love you more!" "No I love you more!" It was disgusting, to say the least, but there was no more fighting it: Korra and Mako were meant to be.

The pain stopped for a while once Bolin came to accept this. He no longer felt mad at his brother or Korra. He felt nothing. He accepted his position as the third wheel. His emptiness was all consuming, but he never once let it show.

As hollow as he was, Bolin was okay with it. He preferred to feel nothing to feel the searing pain and loathing that had plagued him before the emptiness took over, but this period of nothingness did not last long.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh! Oh! Remember that time when…"

Bolin's interest drifted from the conversation at hand to around the table. The entire gang had gathered for dinner at Air Temple Island, even Asami, who had once been perhaps even angrier with Mako and Korra than Bolin, had decided to come. Her anger, however, had quickly subsided and she soon found herself a new boyfriend. She was far better at coping than Bolin.

"So there I was, surrounded by Equalists and…"

Bolin's eyes continued to drift about, and eventually, his eyes fell upon Mako. Mako, who was listening intently to the story being told, not just feigning interest, but really listening. Bolin studied the features of his handsome face. His long chin, his thin nose, the stern gaze in his focused eyes. Those striking, amber eyes…

At that moment, something inside Bolin changed. His stomach dropped. His heart ached. He felt a familiar pain, one he hadn't felt in a while. The sudden surge of emotion shook Bolin to his core. He had been so accustomed to not feeling anything that feeling something so powerful caused him to break character. His façade of happiness temporarily melted away, and a frown twitched across his lips. He quickly regained his composure and silently assured himself his grimace had gone unnoticed. But the pain he felt in his chest did not disappear as easily as his frown. Consumed with his newly rediscovered hurt, it barely registered to him that someone had just called his name, until he felt a slap on the back.

"Bolin! This is where you come in!" Asami smiled as she eagerly urged Bolin to engage in the storytelling.

"Oh! Right!" Said Bolin, "So what happened next was…" Bolin began to recount his portion of the story, and now those gorgeous amber eyes were now trained on him. _Oh no…_ he thought to himself as he happily described fist fighting against the Equalists. _I know this feeling… it's…_

_Love._


End file.
